Bayonne at-large council seats boasts a hefty field of unique candidates

Bayonne residents have an extensive pool of six candidates to
choose from with their experiences ranging from law, database engineering,
postmaster and teaching; all vying for the two at-large council seats at stake next Tuesday.

The at-large candidates are incumbents Terry Ruane and Debra Czerwienski, who are running under the Mark Smith slate,
Sharon Nadrowski and Juan Perez, who are running under the James Davis slate,
Leonard Kantor, who is running under the Zanowic slate, and the independent
John Sebik.

John Sebik, 42, who ran for the 31st
District in the State Assembly in 2011 as a write-in, says his platform is to be
the voice of the people. If elected, he plans on appointing a person to
represent each of the 53 districts in Bayonne.

"This is to keep the people updated on
what is going on in their city on a daily basis," Sebik said. "They can be
their voice for their district. When people go to City Hall their voices aren't
heard."

Sebik added, "No matter who is elected
mayor, I'm going to hold that person accountable to the same standards they
hold me. I'm going to fight for the people."

Sharon Nadrowski, 45, a database
engineer, says her skills in building computer systems suit her for fixing the
city.

"In my work, people tell me what they
want and need and I make it happen," Nadrowski said. "If they want changes, we
make it and we deliver it. We make it cost effective."

Nadrowski said the city isn't currently
running as smoothly as the systems she's built.

"It takes them hours to get back to
you," Nadrowski said about the city responding to residents' concerns. "Those
are the simple things and it's unacceptable they're not doing that."

Nadrowski cited the city's response to
the recent spate of construction mishaps involving the Port Authority and the
Bayonne Bridge.

"I'm not a political person," Nadrowski
told The Jersey Journal. "But I've always been involved in the community. I
didn't like the way things were going and that's why I'm running."

Juan Perez, 63, a retired sheriff, said
he would apply his years of experience in law enforcement and make changes in
City Hall.

"There are several things I'd like to
tackle but the first thing immediately will be accountability," Perez said. "Accountability
starts at the top and heads will roll."

The retired state trooper recalled his
years working: "When we didn't function correctly, we were held accountable."

Perez said his main reason to run is
for the seniors whose taxes are ballooning each year.

"I'm on a fixed income myself," Perez said. "But I can only imagine what the poor senior citizens have to go
through. It's not fair. I'm running because I'm mad and I want to do something
about it."

Terry Ruane, a former postmaster, said
fiscal responsibility and development is his focus.

"We've reduced the debt by 40 percent
and increased ratables," Ruane said. "We've got development on Broadway and the
Peninsula."

Ruane says it's about continuity for
the city. He says his job isn't done.

"I spent my whole life in Bayonne and
in the postal office," Ruane said about his intimate knowledge of the residents
and what they want. "My past career has enhanced my ability to do my job and I
know the people."

Ruane has his sights on redeveloping
Broadway block by block.

"We're going to continue with
development all over the city," Ruane said.

Between grading tests and teaching
sixth grade at All Saint's Catholic Academy, Debra Czerwienski, the incumbent,
admits that taking the city out of its slump has been challenging.

"It's taken longer than we thought," Czerwienski said. "But we're revitalizing Broadway block by block and we're
going to bring back ratables."

Czerwienski says she wants to continue
the job she began.

"I'm running again because we started
all these initiatives and I want to see it out," Czerwienski said. "I have an
inside track (on the workings of the city) and anybody coming in will have to
start from zero."

Czerwienski said she's had a proven
track record of being involved with the community.

"I've been involved with community
affairs for 20 years, school board, MUA, Historic Commission and in my church," Czerwienski said. "I feel I have a pulse on the community."

The most experienced Bayonne resident
running for one of the two at-large seats is Leonard Kantor.

At 82, Kantor remains pugnacious and hopes
if elected to scour through the city books.

"I'm 0 for 5 in the elections," Kantor said, referring to his previous attempts at a city office seat. "I want to
stop the mayor from selling any land to the Port Authority."

Kantor, who draws a hardline on fiscal
responsibility said he wants to audit the city's finances.

"I want to find out how we got into
debt," Kantor said. "Where did all the money go? The mayor's giving tax
abatements to businesses but the seniors are getting a tax increase."

Kantor says he's the last bastion of
people fighting for the truth.

"I'm running for the voice of the
people that vote for me or against me," Kantor said. "I represent everybody and
I will present the truth."

The six candidates vying for the two
at-large seats will have to wait until next Tuesday to see if their campaigning will come to fruition.